Echos
by M.N. Arias
Summary: Belnire Kelling wanted to live an ordinary life, but when his past comes back to haunt him, he must begin the hunt for those that want him dead. For the sake of his family, he must become the monster he so desperately tried to escape,


Belnire woke up when the sunlight broke through the crack in the blinds, and looked at his wife, being silent as he watched her sleep, with their child between them. He smiled as he took his hand from around her back, and rolled off the bed softly.

He covered his eyes as he walked over to the blinds and opened them slightly, seeing the first of the colonists, that were living in the same city as them, begin their morning routines. He yawned loudly as he saw the familiar form of the turian albino that helped him nearly two years ago. He turned when he heard Mercy crying and walked over to his two girls and picked up the one before she could wake the other, "Don't cry," he whispered walking out of the room and towards the kitchen, rocking her in his arms. She started to coo in his arms when he reached the kitchen, her duel colored eyes looking up at him, "You are very lucky, you have one of my eyes, and one of your mothers," he said as he kissed her forehead. He put her inside of the high-chair that was at the end of the table. He went over to the fridge and got some of the formula milk that he bought a few weeks ago, and put it to her mouth. The baby drank the milk as he kept the bottle lifted so that she could get her fill. He took the bottle away, and picked her up.

Belnire began to patting Mercy's back, until she burped, "That's a good girl," he said as he smiled at her. He felt a hand brush his back, and knew that Natalia was behind him. He turned around and leaned down to kiss her, "Hey baby," he greeted as he looked into her eyes, "How are you today?"

"I'm fine." She answered; her voice filled with grogginess from just waking up, and her eyes were still half closed, "How is Mercy?"

"She's fine," Belnire replied; handing her over to Natalia, "What do you have planned for today?"

"Me and Lossa were going to walk around town, and look for some baby clothes," she said as she held their child in one arm, and rubbed her eyes with her free hand.

"Sounds fun," he told her as he moved to the cabinet and started pulling out several cooking ingredients; flour, eggs, salt, syrup, and vegetable oil.

"I should be cooking."

"It's Sunday."

Natalia moved to the table and sat down as she bounced Mercy up and down on her lap, "Why does that make a difference?"

"I make better pancakes than you do," he told her as he took two pans down from the pan rack, and placed them on the stove, "and today is pancake day."

"You and your pancakes."

"Hey, it was a tradition of mine before I moved to Illium," he told her; while he started to make the pancake batter, "and I want to bring it back now that we have our new life here."

"It isn't so new anymore."

"It is to me, I've lived my life as part of a gang since I was nine," he finished whipping the batter and poured some into the pan, "and after the reaper war I became the leader of the Red Knights. I felt an obligation to it."

"I know that Belnire, but that isn't your life anymore," Natalia said as she looked at his back, "we've put that behind us, and we now raise this beautiful child of ours. How is Whip?"

"I'm fine," Belnire said as his voice became a shade deeper, "just bored is all."

"Then you get to play with Mercy. She needs to spend time with both sides of her father."

"We have patrol," Whiplash said as he gave Belnire control of their body, "I'm sorry, but it is true, we have to go on patrol with the Militia today."

"But you are Militia commander," Natalia pouted.

"Better you have Mercy with you to buy her clothes, but don't get her ducks again. She tried to tear her clothes off when you put those things on her."

"They looked cute on her!" Natalia exclaimed as she huffed, "you can sleep on the couch tonight if you don't like my choice of clothing for our daughter."

Belnire bit his lip before he could let out a comment on what she was wearing when they first met, "Just don't buy something she is going to tear off the moment you put her down." He finished making the pancakes and put them on two plates. He placed one in front of Natalia, and on the other end of the table. He picked up some forks and knifes from the silverware drawer, and the syrup of the counter. He brought them to the table and placed them in their respective spots as Natalia put Mercy back in her highchair.

The happy couple began eating their Sunday breakfast, and had a pleasant conversation about nothing in particular, and remembering all the friends that they left behind when they started their new life; Kallen, Dejak, and even Wulp Vum.

"I wonder how Kallen is doing right now," Belnire said as he finished his pancakes, "I should invite her over some time."

"She is probably really busy running the Red Knights." Natalia said when the door rang, "That's Lossa." She finished her pancake and went to the bedroom to clean up, "Could you answer the door?"

"Sure thing," he grabbed Mercy and took her to the door with him and opened it, "Hey Lossa," he looked at the towering female turian, "how are you?"

"Nat and I are going shopping," she deadpanned; even though it had been two years since she started her civilian life, she still held her posture as a soldier would. She looked at Mercy and smiled slightly; it wasn't much, but Belnire knew it meant a lot coming from the turian.

The little girl reached out for the turian and Belnire smiled, "Looks like she wants to go to her aunt." He held her out for Lossa to take.

Lossa held the child tenderly against her flat chest, "I'm still not used to this Kelling," she told the man.

"Neither am I, but we have to get used to it, for their sake."

Belnire heard the bedroom door slide open behind him, and looked back to see Natalia walk out of her room ready to go shopping, "You three have a good time," he told them when Natalia reached his side.

"We will baby, don't worry." Natalia stood on her toes and kissed Kelling on the cheek, "Ready to shop Lossa?"

"As much as I'll ever be," she told Natalia, handing the baby to her.

Natalia cooed at Mercy, then kissed her forehead, "Then let's go," she said as the two walked off towards the shopping district.

Belnire waved them off when his Omni-tool beeped, indicating he had a message. He opened it up and read it.

_From: Sarlia Militia Sub-commander Johnson_

_To: Sarlia Militia Commander Knightly_

_Sir, we just got some intel that Echo is coming to our city, but they aren't giving us a reason why. They'll arrive in about an hour._

The message caused some tension in Belnire's heart. Echo was the group that Lossa was a part of nearly two years ago, and their task was to eliminate all the gangs in terminus and Citadel space. If it wasn't for an elaborate plan, Kelling would either be in jail or dead. Leaving Natalia to raise Mercy alone. He ran a hand through his red hair and looked at the mirror. His face wasn't the same as it was back then, facial reconstruction was easy, and if you paid the right doctor, completely untraceable.

He sent a message saying that he would meat with Echo when they arrived. He closed his Omni-tool and went into his room to put on his uniform.

**If any of you are my followers, you know the drill, if you aren't then I'll tell you, if you have any questions, write them in the reviews section, and I'll respond to them in the next chapter.**


End file.
